Integrating the sacred and the empirical: medical theory and practice in medieval Chinese Buddhism

Current academic discourse regarding Buddhist responses to illness frequently categorizes these practices within a predominantly religious or transcendental framework, often overlooking the empirical dimensions of the tradition. This paper investigates the intricate characteristics of medical theory as it evolved within the cultural milieu of medieval Chinese Buddhism, proposing that these developments represent a sophisticated and integrative paradigm rather than a purely spiritual one. By conducting a comparative analysis of Buddhist medical manuscripts and canonical texts prevalent across western and central China, this study demonstrates the existence of a multifaceted healing system through three interconnected dimensions. First, we argue that Buddhist etiological conceptualizations in this period did not rely solely on karmic retribution; instead, they incorporated rigorous analytical frameworks that granted substantial explanatory weight to naturalistic and environmental factors, alongside traditional religious models. Second, the examination of therapeutic methodologies reveals an increasing emphasis on human agency and self-cultivation in the maintenance of health, suggesting a departure from passive ritual dependence. Third, we show that pharmacological documentation within the Buddhist corpus systematically adopted and adapted standardized formulations that were closely aligned with the professional medical conventions of the medieval era. Collectively, this evidentiary structure suggests that Chinese Buddhist medical theory functioned as a site of profound intellectual synthesis. By bridging the gap between scriptural orthodoxy and secular healing traditions, this integrative approach highlights the active role of Buddhist practitioners in shaping the broader landscape of medieval Chinese medicine.